As an executive, ask your spouse for her read. She noticed the client’s wife checking her phone repeatedly (disinterest or emergency?). She saw the client touch his wife’s hand when she answered a question (solidarity or warning?). These observations are gold. Consider the VP who spent the entire dinner flirting with the client’s wife. Deal lost.
Conversely, consider the deal that closed because the host’s wife remembered that the client’s wife collected antique maps—and had a rare one waiting as a gift at the hotel. That is the power of the spouse dinner done right. The business dinner with wives is not a relic. In an era of Zoom calls and transactional emails, it is a rare opportunity for deep relationship building . When both spouses understand their roles—not as ornaments, but as ambassadors—the dinner becomes a competitive advantage. business dinner with the wives
Intermix. Seat the host’s wife next to the client. Seat the client’s wife next to the host. This cross-pollination forces conversation to stay inclusive. It prevents the dreaded scenario where the executives discuss EBITDA while the wives discuss gardening—a segregated dynamic that breeds resentment. As an executive, ask your spouse for her read